Programs

The Lavaca County Judge has overall responsibility for emergency management, preparedness, and response within the county. To assist in managing the day-to-day activities Lavaca County utilizes an Emergency Management Coordinator.

Local emergency management programs include:

• Carrying out public education relating to known hazards
• Carrying out recovery activities in the aftermath of a disaster
• Coordinating emergency response operations during incidents and disasters
• Designing and implementing hazard mitigation programs
• Emergency planning
• Planning and conducting drills and exercises
• Providing or arranging training for local officials and emergency responders
• Threat identification and prevention activities

Emergency Operations Center

Lavaca County maintains an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), staffed by members of its various departments, that is activated to manage the response to major threats and incidents and coordinate internal and external resource support. Lavaca County operates under the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to standardize operations and responses with other city, county, state, and federal responders.

Management

Lavaca County, Texas uses the Incident Command System (ICS) as our incident management scheme. Under ICS, an Incident Commander typically directs the on-scene response by local responders from a field command post set up at or near the incident site. Responders from Lavaca County, neighboring counties and cities, along with state and federal responders that have been called on to assist when local resources are not sufficient to deal with a major emergency, are also integrated into the local ICS.

Egon Barthels serves as the Lavaca County Emergency Management Coordinator and can be reached at 361-798-5628.

TCEQ AIR QUALITY

LNRA EARLY WARNING SYSTEM:

LNRA continuously monitors precipitation and stream levels around the Lavaca and Navidad river basins. Even though the following information is made available to the public, the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority will not be held responsible for inaccurate information.

Early Warning System Map

Rain and Stream Report

Stream Level Information

Current Weather Conditions

National Weather Service River Forecasts

Lavaca River
Lavaca River at Komensky
Lavaca River at Breslau
Lavaca River at Hallettsville

Navidad River
Navidad River at Sublime
Navidad River near Speaks
Navidad River near Morales

Guadalupe River*
*Yoakum Fire Department Jurisdiction
Guadalupe River at HWY 183 near Hochheim

Additional Information & Local Resources

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Texas Small Businesses

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Small nonfarm businesses in the following counties are now eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by Drought that occurred in the following primary counties in Texas, announced Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disasters and businesses directly impacted by the disasters,” Garfield said.

 

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disasters not occurred.

 

“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disasters only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate as low as 2.935 percent for businesses and 1.875 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years, and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Garfield said.

 

By law, SBA makes economic injury available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster.  The Secretary declared declaration 17552 on July 25, 2022; and declaration 17560 on Aug. 1, 2022.

 

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, in drought disasters nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance. 

 

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

Download the FEMA App 

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Features in the App

• Receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
• Share real-time notifications with loved ones via text, email and social media
• Learn emergency safety tips for over 20 types of disasters, including fires, flooding, hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, volcanoes and more.
• Locate open emergency shelters and disaster recovery centers in your area where you can talk to a FEMA representative in person.
• Prepare for diasters with a customizable emergency kit checklist, emergency family plan, and reminders.
• Connect with FEMA to register for disaster assistance online.
• Toggle between English and Spanish.
• Follow the FEMA blog to learn about the work FEMA does across the United States.

LAVACA COUNTY RESIDENTS WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY (STEAR) PROGRAM

Lavaca County residents with access and functional needs are advised to register with the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) and update their information every January.

The STEAR program is a free registry for Texans of any age that need additional assistance during an emergency event due to access or functional needs or lack of transportation for evacuation. The STEAR registry assists local emergency planners and responders with information about the needs of individuals in their community.

“Many different kinds of emergencies can create an array of needs for Lavaca County Residents. Planning is vital to ensure all residents are assisted quickly and safely during emergencies,” said Egon Barthels, Emergency Management Coordinator, Lavaca County Office of Emergency Management.

STEAR is intended for people with access and functional needs such as:

People with limited mobility

People who have sensory disabilities

People who require additional medical assistance during an emergency event

People who require transportation assistance

People who require personal care assistance

The information that is shared through STEAR should be updated every January to ensure information is up to date. Last minute registrations prior to a weather event or emergency may not reach local emergency managers.

Residents can register by going online to https://stear.tdem.texas.gov/ or calling 2-1-1.

Description
Assists local emergency responders and officials in planning for emergency events. Having an applicant's information helps determine what kinds of services might be required during a disaster, and helps responders plan and train more effectively. Local governments use the information in different ways. 

• Registration DOES NOT guarantee evacuation transportation or a specific service during an emergency. Registration is not a substitute for developing and maintaining your own family disaster plan
• The applicant's information will be provided to participating local governments for their use in developing emergency management plans and to assist them in preparedness and response activities. Each local government uses the information in different ways.
• A STEAR application must be filled out for each individual with additional assistance needs.
• Callers requesting assistance during a disaster event should dial 9-1-1

An individual's information will be kept in the system for 1 year. A notice will be sent reminding individuals that they must re-register for STEAR.

• Jurisdiction Preparedness Profile
• State Planning Standards Checklist

FEMA - Hazard Mitigation Plan Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2018	Updated: 06/20/2018
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN	Updated:
- Basic Plan	11/02/2021
- Annex A:  Warning	04/05/2022
- Annex B:  Communications	04/05/2022
- Annex C:  Shelter & Mass Care	04/05/2022
- Annex D:  Radiological Protection	04/05/2022
- Annex E:  Evacuation	04/05/2022
- Annex F:  Firefighting	04/05/2022
- Annex G:  Law Enforcement	04/05/2022
- Annex H:  Health & Medical Services	04/05/2022
- Annex I:  Public Information	04/05/2022
- Annex J:  Recovery	04/05/2022
- Annex K:  Public Works & Engineering	04/05/2022
- Annex L:  Utilities	04/05/2022
- Annex M:  Resource Management	04/05/2022
- Annex N:  Direction & Control	04/05/2022
- Annex O: Human Services	04/05/2022
- Annex P:  Hazard Mitigation	04/05/2022
- Annex Q:  Hazardous Materials & Oil Spill Response	04/05/2022
- Annex R:  Search & Rescue	04/05/2022
- Annex S:  Transportation	04/05/2022
- Annex T:  Donations Management	04/05/2022
- Annex U:  Legal	04/05/2022
- Annex V:  Terrorist Incident Response	04/05/2022

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) guides all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from incidents.

NIMS provides stakeholders across the whole community with the shared vocabulary, systems and processes to successfully deliver the capabilities described in the National Preparedness System. NIMS defines operational systems that guide how personnel work together during incidents.

Visit National Incident Management System Required and Recommended Training

Before you begin NIMS Training you'll need to obtain a FEMA Student ID Number. You can do that online at, https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/ A FEMA SID is required to register for and participate in any training provided by FEMA. All FEMA training providers’ registration systems and enrollment procedures require a valid FEMA SID. The FEMA SID will serve as your unique identifier and be used to maintain the record of FEMA training you attended. 

In addition, you'll need to create an account on  https://www.preparingtexas.org/ where you can upload your certificates to your transcript and find additional training opportunities.

IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System
This course provides an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The National Incident Management System defines the comprehensive approach guiding the whole community - all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), and the private sector - to work together seamlessly to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents. The course provides learners with a basic understanding of NIMS concepts, principles, and components.

IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100
ICS 100, Introduction to the Incident Command System, introduces the Incident Command System (ICS) and provides the foundation for higher level ICS training. This course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The Emergency Management Institute developed its ICS courses collaboratively with:

• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• United States Fire Administration’s National Fire Programs Branch

 

IS-200.C: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, ICS-200
IS200, Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, reviews the Incident Command System (ICS), provides the context for ICS within initial response, and supports higher level ICS training. This course provides training on, and resources for, personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within ICS.  

The Emergency Management Institute developed its ICS courses collaboratively with:

National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
United State Fire Administration’s National Fire Programs Branch
Note: IS-200.c is an updated version of the IS-200 course. If you have successfully completed IS-200.b or IS-200.a, you may want to review the new version of the course. For credentialing purposes, the courses are equivalent.

IS-800.D: National Response Framework, An Introduction
The goal of the IS-0800.d, National Response Framework, An Introduction, is to provide guidance for the whole community. Within this broad audience, the National Response Framework focuses especially on those who are involved in delivering and applying the response core capabilities, including:

• Private sector partners
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Government officials
• Community leaders
• Emergency management practitioners
• First responders

 

G-300- Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents

This course provides training on use of multiple resources for personnel who require application of the Incident Command System (ICS) during expanding incidents. This course expands upon information covered in the ICS-100 and ICS-200 courses.

Prerequisites are:
•IS-100.c, Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100
• IS-200.c, Incident Command System for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
• IS-700.b, National Incident Management System, An Introduction
• IS-800.c, National Response Framework, An Introduction

It is recommended that students have actual experience using concepts and principles from ICS-100 and ICS-200 in a response or exercise.

Note: Students requiring TCOLE credit must self-report completion of class.

G-400- Advanced Incident Command System, Command and General Staff

This one and a half day course provides training and resources for personnel who require advanced application of the Incident Command System (ICS). The course expands upon information covered in the ICS-100 through ICS-300 courses.

Target Audience:
State, county, local officials and volunteers who may assume a supervisory role in expanding incidents or Type 3 incidents.

Prerequisites & Other Information:

Applications will NOT be processed until all prerequisites have been UPLOADED to their www.preparingtexas.org transcript. 

You may enroll in the Advanced ICS class at the same time you enroll in the Intermediate class if they are back to back. These courses are the following:

IS-100.c, Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100
IS-200.b, Incident Command System for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
IS-700.b, National Incident Management System, An Introduction
IS-800.c, National Response Framework, An Introduction
G300, Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents

Note: Students requiring TCOLE credit must self-report completion of class.

G-200- Texas Public Officials Workshop

This 3-hour course is designed to introduce county judges and commissioners, mayors and city council members, and other elected and appointed officials to emergency management in Texas. This course addresses the legal authorities for emergency management in Texas, the local, state, and federal organization for emergency management, the local emergency management functions, the local responsibilities during the four phases of emergency management – mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, and the emergency management program activities, such as planning, training, and exercising.

G-402 - NIMS Overview for Executive/Senior Officials
The purpose of this course is to familiarize Senior Officials (executives, elected and appointed officials, city/county managers, agency administrators, etc.) with their role in supporting incident management within the National Incident Management System (NIMS).